20.11.1 This survey collects information about the retirement and retirement intentions of persons aged 45 and over. The survey has been conducted on an irregular basis since 1980 and is next planned to be conducted in November 2002, though it will not collect information on retirement intentions.

20.11.2 Data from the survey are used to examine changes in retirement trends over time and the income arrangements retirees and potential retirees have made to provide for their retirement. Data are used primarily in the development and review of income support and superannuation policies.

20.11.3 This section describes only those aspects of the methodology that are unique to this survey, and hence should be used in conjunction with the overview part of this chapter, which outlines the survey methodology used in supplementary surveys.

SURVEY OUTPUT

20.11.4 Data from the survey are published in Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia (Cat. no. 6238.0). More detailed data are available on request.

20.11.5 Data from the survey relate to persons aged 45 years and over. The main populations of interest are persons who have retired from full-time work, persons who have retired from the labour force, and the retirement intentions of persons still working. Estimates are available on an original basis only (i.e. not seasonally adjusted) and include:

Socio-demographic information

Sex, age, marital status, household/family relationship, State or Territory of usual residence, birthplace and year of arrival in Australia..

All persons

Labour force status; and for persons working, details of current job including full-time or part-time status, status in employment, occupation, and industry..

Persons who have retired from full-time work

Age at retirement from full-time work; reason for ceasing last full-time job; whether reached compulsory retirement age in last full-time job; details of last full-time job including occupation, industry, and status in employment; and time since retirement .

Persons who have retired from full-time work aged 45 and over

Details of retirement scheme membership, including retirement scheme membership at retirement from full-time job, time in main retirement scheme at retirement from full-time job, previous retirement scheme membership, and time in previous retirement scheme; details of payments from retirement scheme, including type of payment from retirement scheme, and disbursement of lump sum payment from retirement scheme (and amount if retired less than 4 years from time of survey); and details of income, including sources of income at retirement from full-time work, current sources of income, and whether changed main source of income since retirement. .

Persons who have retired from the labour force.

Details of retirement from full-time work (as above); time since retirement from the labour force..

Persons who intend to retire

Details of retirement scheme membership (current and previous); expected time until retirement (from full-time work, from the labour force); expected sources of income at retirement from full-time work; whether intends to work part-time after retirement from full-time work; and intended age at retirement (from full-time work, from the labour force).

20.11.7 The scope of this survey is restricted to persons aged 45 and over. The standard scope restrictions for supplementary surveys outlined in the overview part of Chapter 20 also apply to this survey.

SAMPLE DESIGN

20.11.8 In addition to those sample restrictions outlined in Chapter 20 a further one-eighth (one rotation group) of the private dwelling Labour Force Survey sample was excluded from this survey in 1997.

DATA COMPARABILITY OVER TIME

20.11.9 In order to provide a high degree of consistency and comparability over time, changes to survey methods, survey concepts, data item definitions, frequency of collection, and analysis methods are made as infrequently as possible. Over the time the survey has been conducted there have been some changes to the scope and sample size. These changes mean that the standard errors for the survey differ over time. The effect on estimates of the change in scope is considered to have been small. Changes affecting the Labour Force Survey may also affect this survey. Such changes are outlined in Chapter 19 and are not repeated here.

Sample restricted to six-eighths of the Labour Force Survey sample.Data on partial and full retirement collected.Publication format replaced Standard Data Service (Cat. no. changed to 6238.0).Persons living in remote and sparsely settled areas excluded from scope.

FURTHER INFORMATION

20.11.10 For further details contact the Assistant Director, Monthly and Multi-purpose Population Surveys Section, on Canberra (02) 6252 6660.